Seed and Knowledge Initiative (SKI)

The Seed and Knowledge Initiative (SKI) is a dynamic partnership of Southern African organisations committed to securing food sovereignty in the region. We work with smallholder farmers to become more seed, food and nutritionally secure through agroecology, farmer-led seed systems, improved crop diversity, and the revival of local knowledge systems. While we have strong relationships with a number of organisations and individuals in the region and all over the world, our primary stakeholders are the partners and farmers we work with in Malawi, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Rooted in a history of collaboration between three pioneering organisations, Biowatch South Africa,EarthLore Foundation and the NRF Bio-economy Research Chair at the University of Cape Town (UCT), SKI has grown into a network of 13 partners in 4 countries. As we enter Phase 2 (2019-2023) our work is even more relevant, and even more urgent - and increasingly validated: our context, and the achievements during Phase 1 (2013-2018) compel us to continue forming alliances, acting and advocating for seed sovereignty in the face of climate change, destruction of biodiversity, and increasing food insecurity and malnutrition.

We believe seed sovereignty is the basis of food sovereignty - and stands as a symbol for farmers (and especially women s) autonomy, access and control over locally produced, culturally appropriate, increasingly diverse, seed and food, and for the health of the ecosystem on which it all depends.